Control and locking device for valves



Jan. 7, 1930- J. o. CONVERSE ,4

CONTROL AND LOGKI [NG DEVICE FQR VALVES Jan. 7, 1930.

J. o. CONVERSE 1,742,495

CONTROL AND LOCKING DEVICE FOR VALVES Filed Sept. 9, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 7, 1930 UNITED STATES; PATENT oF Fics JOHN O. CONVERSE, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA CONTROL AND LOOKING DEVEGE FOR VALVES Application filed September 9, 1927. Serial No. 218,452.

This invention relates to control and locking mechanism for valves and while capable of wide general usage is especially adapted for use in connection with locomotive blowoff valves.

In controlling mechanism for locomotive i sons standing adjacent the railroad tracks,

often scalding the persons and inflicting serious injury; Furthermore, efficiency of the locomotive has .been lessened due to the inadvertent opening of the blow-off valves since pressure in the boiler would be greatly reduced whenthe valve was opened for only a short period. Moreover, in controlling mechanism heretofore used it was difficult for i the engineer or attendant to ascertain whether or not the blow-off valve was open unless a close inspection was made.

It is a main ob]ect of my invention to provide a very convenient and highly efiicient' control and locking mechanismfor valves and especially for locomotive blow-off valves which will positively lock the valve in closed position against inadvertent opening and which will moreover indicate by different radial positions of the handle whether the valve is open or closed or if the valve is partially closed, but not locked.

A'further object. is to provide a device of the class referred to, which may be quickly installed on blow-off valves now in use or may be readily installed when the locomotive is built, which will occupy a minimum amount advertently opened.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to Such insimilar parts throughout the several views and in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the locomotive cab with embodiments of my invention applied thereto and connected to the locomotive blow-off valve;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of an embodiment of my control and locking mechanism for valves;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the same with the open position of the handle shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 6 is a cross section taken on line 66 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a slightly different form of the invention; and

Fig. 8 is also a side'view of the said last mentioned form taken from a. different angle with the handle portion shown in end elevation.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the cab 10 of the locomotive is illustrated having the usual floor 11 and seat 12. The back head of the boiler is indicated by the numeral 18 disposed forwardly of the engineers seat.

In most locomotives blow-off valves are dis posed at each side of the fire box and usually a third is disposed at the forward end of the locomotive. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 controlling and locking mechanism is shown mounted within the cab for the blow-off valves above mentioned.

. The embodiment of my device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, comprises a special bracket or mounting indicated as an entirety by the numeral 14. Bracket 14 may have a flat depending flange 14 constructed to be readily secured to suitable supporting means such as an upright standard 15 or, if desired, flange 14 may be'attached to a wall or any plane surface. Bracket 14 carries a pair of axially alined eyes 14* and 14, respectively, preferably disposed adjacent the ends of said bracket, said eyes both having similar keyshaped apertures 16 therethrough forthe reception of an elongated plunger member 17. Preferably bracket 14 is mounted with the narrow or parallel portions of the keyhole apertures 16 disposed horizontally, the purpose of which will later be seen.

Plunger member 17 may be of tubular formation as illustrated having the usual control rod 18 for the blow-off valve housed therein and connected thereto by means of a jamb nut 19 threadedly engaging the rearward end thereof and abutting the end of a pistol grip handle member 20. Handle 20 may be integrally formed with the plunger 17 or may, of course, be formed independently and suitably connected therewith. Plunger 17 has a rectilinear spline or rib 17 extending longitudinally thereof throughout the greater portion of its length. An abutting shoulder 17 is formed at the rearward end of said spline adapted to engage the rearward eye 14 of bracket 1 1 while a recess 17 is formed in the intermediate portion ofspline 17- adapted to accommodate the eye lalandto form abutting shoulders in spline 17 disposed when the blow-oft' valve is closed at either side of said eye 14. Pistol grip 20 is so related to plunger 17 and spline 17 that it will be held in downward substantially vertical position when the blow-off valve is closed.

It will, of course, be seen that in closed position as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, plunger 17 will be locked. with reference to bracket 14, movement in either direction being limited by engagement of the abutting shoulders on spline 17 with the eyes 14 and 1 1. hen the pistol handle 20 has turned re- 7 volving plunger 17 through approximately ninety degrees, spline 17 will be alined with the slot portions of apertures 16 and the plunger and operating rod 18 may then be withdrawn to open the blow-01f valve. It will be observed that handle 20 cannot drop to closed position but must be pushed inwardly until recess 17 in the spline is alined with its cooperating eye 14. To facilitate this alinement a stop shoulder 20 is provided on pistol handle 20 adapted to abut against the rearward face of eye 14 limiting the inward movement of the plunger and automatically alining recess 17 with the eye 14.

In Fig. 1 two of my opening and locking mechanisms are shown applied to one of the side blow-off valves 09 and the forward blowoff valve 00 of the locomotive. In one of these devices, the plunger is connected to the side blow-off valve :12 by means of astraight rod or link 18 while in the other device of Fig. 1, the plunger is connected to the forward blowotf valve by a toggle mechanism 21.

In Figs. 7 and 8 a slightly different form .of

the invention is shown, the mechanism being adapted for vertical disposition. In this form of the invention, the bracket 14 in Figs. 7 and 8 is ident cal th h r cket pre iously desc ibed w h the c p ion thafih ppe .or oute ey 4 is pr vided o i ppe se ies? with ll in ntation 9. recess '2 des gne to re e ve abu tingshe ld r 20 o the pistol grip handle to prevent the same from being inadvertentlyturned when the valve is locked. It is necessary in this form of the invention to form recess 17 wider than in the form previously described since suflicient play must be afforded to permit disengagement of shoulder 20 from recess 22 before plunger 17 can be turned through ninety degrees for withdrawal.

The last described form of invention is mounted in the locomotive cab with bracket 14 and recess 22 properly disposed to permit handle 20 to'be held parallel and in close relationto the supporting surface or base of the bracket when the valve is locked in closed p0? sition. Thus, normally the handle will not obstruct and will not be noticeable to the attendant while when the valve is open the handle will be disposed in outwardly projecting position substantially perpendicular to the supporting-surface or base for the bracket and will be quickly noticed by the engineer or attendant.

To open the valve, the mechanism being disposed in locked position as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, the pistol handle 20 is raised slightly to free shoulder 20 from engagement with recess portion 22. It is then turned approximately ninety degrees to aline spline 17 with the slotted portions of the apertures 16. The handle is then pulled upwardly and the valve opened. The valve may be quickly closed by pushing the plunger downwardly and turning back ninety degrees until shoulder 20 again engages its detent 22.

In both forms of the invention it will be apparent that by my mechanism the valve is locked in closed position and cannot be opened by the engineer inadvertently striking or brushing the same since the plunger the engineer or attendant neglect to close the 4 valve he will readilynotice that the same is open by the outwardly disposed position of the handle, since the valve'inust be entirely closed before handle 20 'will drop to locked position.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have invented an extremely simple mechanism capable of wide general usage for locking and controlling. valves having the slidable type of operating means and especially adapted for blow-off valves of locomotives topre'vent accidental opening of the valves and to indicate when the valve is open.

' I wi efseers be easier tead tha ranous changes may be made in the form, details, proportions and arrangement of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Mechanism for controlling and locking valves comprising a guide bracket having a base adapted to be rigidly attached to a suitable support, a pair of spaced oppositely alined eyes carried by said bracket having similarly shaped alined slots communicating with the apertures of said eyes, a plunger extending through said eyes and adapted to be secured to the stem of a valve, said plunger having a longitudinal spline adapted to occupy said slots when turned to a predetermined radial position and moved in one direction and said spline having cutaway portions adapted to accommodate said eyes to permit turning of said plunger therein, said cutaway portions forming abutting shoulders adapted to engage the sides of said eyes to limit the movement of said plunger and also lock said valve in closed position when the spline is out of alinement with said slots and a substantially radially disposed handle secured adjacent the free end of said plunger by which said plunger may be turned to aline said spline with said slots for withdrawal of said plunger to open the valve, said handle being disposed in non-obstructing position substantially parallel with the base of said bracket when said valve is closed and being carried in signalling position sub stantially perpendicular to said base of said bracket when said valve is open.

2. Mechanism for controlling and locking valves, comprising a stationary guide mem-- her, a slidable and oscillatable plunger extending through said guide member and adapted in its sliding movement to actuate a valve, said plunger having alaterally projecting locking element, said guide member having an apertured portion through which said locking element may pass when said plunger is oscillated to a predetermined position and moved longitudinally, and means urging said plunger to oscillate in one direction to interlock said locking element with said guide member and to yieldingly maintain said plunger when locked against oscillation.

8. Mechanism for controlling and locking valves, comprising a stationary guide member, a slidable and oscillatable plunger extending through said guide member and adapted in its sliding movement to actuate a valve, said plunger carrying a locking spline, said guide member having an apertured portion through which said spine may pass when said plunger is oscillated to a predetermined position and moved longitudinally, said plunger being held in said predetermined position until longitudinally returned to its original position, and means for yieldingly holding said plunger against oscillation after said spline has been interlocked with said guide member.

4. Mechanism for controlling and locking valves, comprising a stationary'guide memher, a slidable and oscillatable plunger extending through said guide member and adapted in its sliding movement to actuate a valve, said plunger carrying a locking spline, said guide member having an apertured portion through which said spline may pass when said plunger is oscillated to a predetermined position and moved longitudinally, said plunger being held in said predetermined position until longitudinally returned to its original position, a relatively heavy handle extending substantially radidally from said plunger whereby gravity will automatically cause oscillation of said plunger to interlock said spline with said guide member when said plunger is longitudinally returned to original position with said handle disposed substantially horizontal and yieldingly hold said plunger against oscillation.

In testimony whereof I aflix'my signature.

JOHN O. CONVERSE. 

